Combined check and record-keeping book

ABSTRACT

A refillable checkbook and record-keeping combination for use with conventional bank checks and special preprinted record forms on which the data written on the checks is duplicated when the checks are written. A holder of particular form is secured in a looseleaf notebook and is so constructed as to hold the checks in a definite position so that they and record forms also secured in the book may be moved into registry and held in registry while the checks are being written. The record forms each include a permanent record sheet, preferably with detachable sheets for forming nonnegotiable duplicate copies of individual checks, and the permanent record sheets also provide spaces for entry of deposits and other information relating to the bank account all arranged to facilitate accurate balancing and reconciling of the account. Certain of the modifications disclosed provide a storage pocket on the permanent record sheet for related papers such as deposit slips. Further modifications include simplified versions of the checkbooks for pocket use in which preprinted record forms are so attached to the book that they are readily movable into registry with the checks for making duplicates as the checks are written.

United States Patent 72] Inventor Marion Donovan 418 Harbor Road, Soutbport, Conn. 06490 [21] Appl. No. 782,202 [22] Filed Dec. 9, 1968 [45] Patented Nov. 16, 1971 [54] COMBINED CHECK AND RECORD-KEEPING BOOK 8 Claims, 31 Drawing Figs. [52] US. Cl 282/8 C, 283/57 [51] Int. Cl. B411 l/20, 134113/00, 842d 15/00 [50] Field of Search 282/8-10, 29; 283/57, 58 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,290,131 1/1919 Dunsdon 283/45 1,791,671 2/1931 Herschel 282/29 2,718,413 9/1955 Fransson et a1 282/8 2,976,062 3/1961 Brechner 282/29;2 3,278,200 10/1966 Scully 282/8 3,334,921 8/1967 Fischer 282/8 Primary Examiner- Lawrence Charles Attorney-James D. Bock ABSTRACT: A refillable checkbook and record-keeping combination for use with conventional bank checks and special preprinted record forms on which the data written on the checks is duplicated when the checks are written. A holder of particular form is secured in a looseleaf notebook and is so constructed as to hold the checks in a definite position so that they and record forms also secured in the book may be moved into registry and held in registry while the checks are being written. The record forms each include a permanent record sheet, preferably with detachable sheets for forming nonnegotiable duplicate copies of individual checks, and the permanent record sheets also provide spaces for entry of deposits and other information relating to the bank account all arranged to facilitate accurate balancing and reconciling of the account. Certain of the modifications disclosed provide a storage pocket on the permanent record sheet for related papers such as deposit slips. Further modifications include simplified versions of the checkbooks for pocket use in which preprinted record forms are so attached to the book that they are readily movable into registry with the checks for making duplicates as the checks are written.

PATENTEDuuv 16 I971 3,620,553

SHEET 1 OF 9 in so 6686 FIGZ 48 so 20 a so 98' 1 ea 38 41 I i E s PATENTEDunv 16 197i SHEET ll BF 9 F|G.l2 160 132 162 120 PATENTEnunv 1 6 ml 3, 620 5523 saw 5 BF 9 PATENTEDuuv 16 I97! E l I 5 L: PERMANENT RECORD 5 I NOT NEGOTIABLE I 373 I 0 5 LI FOR DOLLARS CTS.

E l l PERMANENT RECORD 3 NOT NEGOTIABLE 7 .......m- I 0 DOLLARS c'Ts.

E I I l l PERM.REC'D.ADD.C'KS." O

FIG.26

FIG. 27

2 sea ass DETAILS OF DEPOSITS DOLL A RS C'T DUPLICATE NOT NEG. DOLLA H8 C DUPLICATE NOT NEG.

DOLLARS TS.

COMBINED CHECK AND RECORD-KEEPING BOOK BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Large business organizations customarily utilize specially printed checks for payment of bills, payrolls and the like and such checks frequently come in sets providing an original check, a voucher and a record or ledger sheet for bookkeeping purposes. However, for smaller businesses and for individual persons, specially printed check sets are disproportionately expensive. For such accounts checks are provided in pads of about 25 single checks or .in pads or stacks of sheets each comprising three or more checks separable along appropriate lines of perforations. Some form of stub or record sheet is also supplied by the bank but the data from each check must be separately entered on the stub or record sheet with attendant possibility of errors resulting from the need to write certain parts of the information at least twice. Until recently bank checks came in various sizes and shapes but with the advent of magnetic ink printing for bank and account identification the checks now supplied by banks are substantially uniform in size and layout. In particular they are uniform in vertical dimensions and in location of the identification of the bank and of the account number so that the checks may be scanned by suitable automatic equipment in banks and clearing houses. Nevertheless there has been no improvement insofar as individuals and small businesses are concerned with respect to the stubs or other bookkeeping sheets which must be filled out as a separate operation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention afl'ords for individuals and small business a checkbook which is refillable and utilizes either the standard or so-called custom checks" supplied by banks. Preprinted record forms with pressure-sensitive duplicating material are provided by the present invention for insertion under a check or sheet of checks to receive duplicate copies of the information written on the checks as they are made out. These preprinted record forms include at least a ledger sheet on which there will be duplicated the date, the name of the payee and the amount of the check.-Such sheet serves as a permanent record on which the data for each check is necessarily shown in accurate form. The invention also provides, if so desired, nonnegotiable duplicate copies of each check which may be torn away from the form and stored in suitable files for classification of expenditures. The invention provides a holder of particular form to which a pad or stack of bank check forms may be clamped in a definite position. A supply of the record forms is held by other means in the checkbook in such definite position that the forms may be individually inserted to fall in proper registry beneath the upper most check or sheet of checks preparatory to making out such check or checks. The holder of the present invention also afiords storage space for completed forms and in one preferred embodiment of the invention the fonns are so constructed as to provide retaining pockets into which deposit slips, bill stubs and the like may be stored in immediate association with the pertinent, permanent record sheet. The holder of the present invention also provides a visual indicator which facilitates the making out of the checks in such a way that the numerical amounts written on the checks are reproduced on the permanent record sheet in the form of addable columns to facilitate computation. The forms provided by the present invention also include spaces in which details of deposits, supplemental or counter checks and the like may be entered so that the permanent record sheets thus supply a complete control of balancing and reconciling of the account.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a checkbook embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an end elevation of the checkbook shown in Fig. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a holder forming a part of the checkbook shown in Fig. 1;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a record form embodying the present invention, showing the same in the position it assumes when inserted beneath a sheet of checksas'illustrated in Fig.

FIG. 4A is a view similar to Fig. 4 but showing the permanent record sheet of the record form turned back to reveal a portion of the surface of the duplicate sheet of said form;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the opposite surface of the record form shown in FIGS. 4-and 4A, showing the duplicate sheet turned back to reveal the reverse surface of the permanent record sheet of said form;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 6-6 in Fig. 5;

FIG. 7 is a similar view taken along the line 7-7 in-FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is a plan view showing a sheet of bank checks superimposed upon a record form on the left-hand side of the checkbook illustrating the use of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a plan view showing another record form on the right-hand side of the checkbook illustrating the use of said form in conjunction with the making out of the checks'shown in Figure 8;

FIG. 10 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along the line l0-l0 in FIG. 9;

Fig. 11 is a perspective view of a checkbook embodying the present invention and showing the use of a modified construction of the record forms;

FIG. 12 is an end elevation of the checkbook shown in FIG. 1 1;

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a modified form of holder useful in either the FIG. 1 or FIG. 11 form of the present invention;

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a further modification of the present invention showing the same adapted to a pocket checkbook;

FIGS. 15 and 16 are views similar to FIG. '14 illustrating the manner of use of this modification of the invention;

FIG. I7 is a perspective view of still another modification of the present invention showing the same adapted to another type of pocket checkbook;

FIG. 18 is a plan view illustrating the use of the modified form of the invention shown in FIG. 17.

FIG. 19 is aplan view of a modified record form for use with a ring binder, a portion of the permanent record sheet being broken away to reveal the duplicate record sheet there beneath;

FIG. 20 is a plan view of the reverse face of the record form shown in FIG. 19, with duplicate check removed to reveal the permanent record sheet;

FIG. 21 is a fragmentary view similar to FIG. 2 showing the record form of FIG. 19 in two positions in a ring binder;

FIG. 22 is a plan view of a further modified record form for use in a ring binder, the form being shown in flat out condition as it emerges from a printing press;

FIG. 23 is a plan view showing the reverse surface of the form in FIG. 22;

FIG. 24 is an elevational view of the form in FIG. 22 after it has been folded and in the position assumed on the left-hand side of an open ring binder;

FIG. 25 is a view similar to FIG. 24 showing the form in the position assumed on the right-hand side of a binder;

FIG. 26 is a plan view of a still further modified record form for use in a ring binder showing the same in fiatout condition as it emerges from a printing press;

FIG. 27 is a plan view of the reverse surface of the record form shown in FIG. 26;

FIG. 28 is an elevational view of the form of FIG. 26 after it has been folded and in the position assumed on the left-hand side of an open ring binder;

FIG. 29 is a view similar to FIG. 28 showing the form in the position assumed on the right-hand side of a binder; and

FIG. 30 is a view similar to FIG. 29 showing the form after the duplicate record copies of the checks have been removed.

ln FIGS. 1 through there is shown one preferred embodiment of the check book of the present invention in which a supply of printed record forms, a supply of printed bank checks and a holder are shown secured in a looseleaf notebook of the ring binder type. In Fig. 1 the looseleaf notebook is generally identified by reference numeral 10 and it comprises a front cover 12, a back cover 14 and a spine 16. The spine 16 has secured to it a conventional ring mechanism 18 which includes a series of split rings 20, preferably of the type that may be opened and closed simultaneously either by a suitable actuator (not shown) or by manually forcing any one of the rings to move to open or closed position as desired, whereupon all of the other rings 20 will follow suit. The details of construction of the notebook and of the ring-binder mechanism are not the subject of the present invention and they may take any specific form that may be desired or conveniently available. The split ring type of binder is convenient for use in the combination of the present invention although, of course, it will be understood that any operatively equivalent construction may be used so long as it affords the ability to interleave the record forms with the printed bank checks in rapid and accurate manner.

In FIG. 3 there is shown a holder 22 which may be made of cardboard or suitably stiff plastic sheet material. The holder 22 comprises a bottom leaf 24 having perforations 26 adjacent an edge 28 so spaced as to fit on and swing about. the axis established by rings 20. The bottom leaf 24 is connected by an end wall 30 with an upper leaf 32 which serves as an inner panel for holding a supply of checks. Preferably the end wall 30 is arranged so that the leaf 32 may move upwardly and downwardly in a plane generally parallel with the plane of the bottom leaf 24 without cocking and without substantial lateral displacement relative to the bottom leaf 24. For example, as shown in Fig. 3, the end wall 30 is provided with a median crease 34 which makes the end wall 30 operate in the manner of a bellows. Thus the space between the leaves 24 and 32 may be filled with stacks, of varying thicknesses, of printed forms without causing substantial changesin registry between such lower and upper leaves.

Still referring to FIG. 3 there is shown a clamping device generally indicated at 36. The clamping device 36 may be any one of the numerous forms of stationery clamps available in the market. The one chosen for illustration comprises a base strip of metal 38 riveted to the upper leaf 32 of the holder 22 and a spring arm 40 hinged at 43 to the baseplate 38. The spring arm 40 carries a T-shaped gripping device 42 adapted to grip a stack or pad of checks 4] against the base plate 38 when the outer end 44 is pressed downwardly and engaged beneath a hook 46 secured to the baseplate 38. By referring briefly to FIG. 2 it will be observed that the clamp 36 includes a portion 48 which extends generally vertically from the plate 38 and which serves as a guide for reasonably accurate positioning of a pad or stack of bank checks.

The holder 22is so dimensioned with respect to the bank check forms being used as to hold a stack or pad of such checks in a definite spaced relationship from the rings 20 of the looseleaf binder in which the holder 22 may be positioned. The upper and lower edges of the upper leaf 32 are used as guides for registering the corresponding edges of the pad or stack 4]. The upper leaf 32 of the holder 22 is provided near the inner edge 50 thereof, with a tab 52 which extends outwardly from the main body of the leaf 32. The tab 52 preferably has printed thereon a line 54 which is parallel with the edge 50 and serves as an indicator for a line of demarcation between the numerical dollars and cents which are to be written upon the checks. it will be appreciated that the major length of the line 54 ordinarily will be concealed by the checks but by observing the portion of the line 54 on the tab 52 the line 54 may be mentally extended downwardly and utilized as an imaginary line to separate the numerals written on the checks.

Referring now to Figs. 4 and 5 there is shown a printed multiple-sheet form forming a part of the present invention. The form is generally indicated at 60 and it comprises a base sheet 62 which is provided with perforations 64 suitably spaced for receiving the rings 20 of the ring binder 10. The base sheet 62 is provided with certain printed matter as will be described below and it is not provided with any perforations or lines of weakening for separation into individual parts. Thus the base sheet 62 is an integral sheet intended for permanent retention in the ring binder 10 for a substantial period of time during which bookkeeping records accumulated thereon will remain permanently available. The sheet 62 is also referred to herein as the pennanent record sheet."

On the upper side of the form as viewed in Fig. 5 there is provided a duplicate record sheet 66 having aninner edge which tenninates short of the perforations 64 by a substantial distance. The duplicate record sheet 66 is secured to the base sheet 62 (see Fig. 6) by a line of adhesive 68. The line of adhesive 68 is relatively narrow and it is positioned very closely adjacent the outward edges 70 and 72 respectively of the base sheet 62 and duplicate record sheet 66. Spaced inwardly from the line of adhesive 68 (see Fig. 6) there is located a line of perforations 74 which extends parallel with the edge 62 throughout the vertical dimension of the duplicate record sheet 66. The perforations 74 are provided to facilitate removal of the duplicate record sheet 66. from the form 60 when so desired. Upon such removal a strip of paper 76, which is a remnant of the duplicate record sheet 66, will remain adhesively secured to the base sheet 62. The strip 76 performs a function which will be described hereinbelow.

Preferably the paper from which both of the sheets 62 and 66 is any one of the many self-marking pressure-sensitive duplicating papers now available in the market. For example both sheets may be made of paper which has distributed therein a vast number of microcapsules containing ink, dye, or the like which is released to fonn a mark of contrasting color when subjected to local pressure as by a stylus, writing pen, pencil or the like. Thus when the form 60 is positioned beneath a check the material which is written as the check is filled out and signed will be duplicated on the form sheets 62 and 66. i 1

in the form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 through 10 it is assumed that the user will employ bank checks which are supplied in the form of a sheet containing three bank check forms which are separable along lines of perforations. Thus the form 60 shown in Figs. 4 and 5 is arranged for the duplication of all of the information written upon a single sheet of three such bank checks. The severable portion of the duplicate record sheet 66 (see FIG. 5) is thus divided into three sections 63, 65 and 67 along lines of perforation 78 which extend inwardly and vertically with respect to the line of perforations 74. Thus this severable portion is divided into three further separable forms of substantially the same size as the bank checks. By referring briefly to FIG. 7 it will be observed that the lines of perforations 74 and 78 are formed only in the upper or duplicate record sheet 66 of the form 60.

Referring now back to FIGS. 1 and 2 the utilization of the holder 22 and printed record forms 60 of the present invention in conjunction with bank checks will be described. Since the introduction into the banking industry of account-identification numerals printed in magnetic ink there has been considerable standardization of dimensions and layout of checks, whether free or custom printed, now supplied by all banks. Such checks comply with the currently uniform banking procedure under which the vertical dimension of each check and the position of the magnetic numerals thereon are required to be uniform. The lengthwise dimensions of the checks are not required to be uniform but those supplied by banks without charge to the customer are about 6 inches long for personal accounts and about 7% inches long for business accounts. Thus, the present invention may be adapted to use with the great preponderance of currently supplied checks by making the holder 22, record forms 60 and ring binder 10 in only two sizes, one for personal and one for business accounts.

In FIGS. 1 through the invention is shown in use with checks obtained from the bank in the form of a pad with perhaps 25 sheets of checks each sheet comprising three check forms separable along appropriate lines of perforations. The check pad 41 comprises a spine 90 of linen or cambric 80 to which the pad of checks is glued in well-known manner. The individual checks 82, 84 and 86 of one sheet are defined by one common line of perforations 88 running parallel with the spine and individual lines of perforations 92 and 94. The spine 90 inserted under the clamp 36 and the pad 41 is aligned with the clamp and edges of holder 22 whereupon the clamp is closed to secure the pad of checks to the holder 22. As will be apparent from FIG. 1 the portion of each check in which the numerical amount is to be inserted falls above the line of demarcation 54 printed upon the tab 52 and upper leaf 32 of the holder 22. Thus when a person is making out one of the checks, 82 for example, the number of dollars will be inserted to the left of an imaginary extension of the line 54 (see FIG. 8) and the number of cents will be inserted to the right of that line. By following this procedure the amount in dollars and cents of the three checks 82, 84 and 86 will fall in reasonably accurate vertical columns which can be added.

In accordance with the present invention a plurality of forms 60 is placed in the ring binder 10, the stack of blank forms 60 being initially positioned, as shown in FIG. 2, within the space afforded between the lower leaf 24 and upper leaf 32 of the holder 22. When it is desired to make out one or more of the checks on one of the sheets of checks clamped in the holder 36 the user withdraws one of the forms 60 from beneath the upper leaf 32 and brings it into a position as shown in broken lines at 60A in FIG. 1. The outer edge portion of the form 60 is bent along the line established by the line of perforations 74 (see Fig. 5) and is folded over on top of the duplicate copy sheet indicated at 66A in FIG. 1. This form is then inserted beneath the uppermost sheet of checks held by the clamp 36 to assume the position shown in full lines in FIG. 1. When the checks 82, 84 and 86 are made out by writing in the name of the payee, amount, signature and the like, all of such written-in information is duplicated upon the permanent record sheet 62 (see FIG. 4) and is also duplicated upon the underlying duplicate sheet 66 (see FIG. 5).

During the interval in which the checks 82, 84 and 86 are being made out the user may have made deposits to the credit of the account or the user may have drawn other checks carried in pocket checkbooks or perhaps may have drawn counter checks at the bank. All such deposit and additional check information may be filled out on the upper details of deposit" side of the form 60 which lies on the right-hand side of the ring binder at the time a particular sheet of checks is being used. The fonn 60 which is at this time on the right-hand side of the ring binder is one which previously had been positioned beneath a preceding sheet of checks and which therefore contains the permanent record copies of such preceding checks. This permanent record information appears on the sheet in reverse or mirror image writing as viewed in FIG. 5. However, the deposit and supplemental check information is written on the currently upper surface of the form 60 lying on the right-hand side of the ring binder. Deposits are usually made by the use of separate deposit slips and the additional checks will have been made out with a stub or duplicate to record the details thereof. In either event the customer's copy of any deposit slips and the stubs or duplicate of any additional checks drawn on the account may now be inserted into the pocket at the outer edge of the form 60 formed by the strip 76 remaining from a preceding duplicate copy sheet 66.

In FIG. 8 a form 60 is shown in the position which it assumes on the left-hand side of the ring binder 10 during the time that checks are filled out. The checks 82, 84 and 86 are shown superimposed upon the form 60 as is the case when the checkbook assembly is in the position shown in FIG. 1. As checks 82, 84 and 86 are made out the deposit details, if any, are entered upon the upper face of the form 60 which lies on the right-hand side as shown in FIG. 9. Deposit slips 96 or additional check stubs or memos 98 are inserted under the strip 76 which serves as a pocket for the retention thereof.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that the complete operation of bookkeeping to maintain a particular account in current condition may be readily and simply achieved by the use of the present invention. After the checks 82, 84 and 86 have been made out and removed from the lefthand side of the binder 10 the underlying permanent record sheet 62 is exposed. The total of these and any additional checks is now added on the sheet just exposed and the account is then balanced on the right-hand sheet. The form 60 is now turned over to the right-hand side of the ring binder. The duplicate copies 63, 65 and 67 of the checks are then removed to be used or disposed of as may be desired. This particular permanent record sheet 62 then becomes the uppermost on the right-hand stack in the binder and is used for the recording of deposit information incident to the making out of the next sheet of checks.

In FIGS. 11 and 12 there is shown a modification of the invention in which the modification lies in the construction and layout of the record form. In this modification of the invention a stack of new record forms 160 is fastened in the rings 120 of a ring binder to lie initially on the back cover 114 when the binder is open. Each of the forms 160 comprises a permanent record sheet 162 secured to the rings and a duplicate record sheet 166. However in contrast with the form 60 shown in FIG. 1 the duplicate record sheet 166 lies beneath the permanent record sheet 162 when the new forms are stacked on the back cover 114. The sheets 162 and 166 are secured together along their outer edges by adhesive (not shown) as is the case in the forms 60 illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 10. A line of perforations 174 may be formed only in the duplicate record sheet 166 if it is desired to leave a storage pocket or they may be formed in both the duplicate sheet 166 and the permanent record sheet 162 if the pocket is not desired.

As shown in FIG. 11 one of the forms 160 has been turned over to lie on the left-hand side of the notebook in the position it assumes when it is positioned beneath a sheet of checks in the stack or pad of checks held by the clamp 136. However, in FIG. 11 it is assumed that the uppermost sheet of checks has been completed and removed, thus exposing the filled-out duplicate record sheet 166 which lies on top of the permanent record sheet 162. The sheets thus filled out are now in condition for removal of the duplicate check copies I63, I65 and 167 after which the permanent record sheet 162 will be exposed for completion thereof by adding the amounts of the checks just written and drawing a new balance which will be carried forward to the next permanent record sheet. The permanent record sheet 162 is then tucked under the upper leaf 132 and it becomes a permanently stored record as shown in FIG. 12. Ifperforations 174 are provided only in the duplicate record sheet 166 the pocket remaining after detachment of the duplicate checks 163, and 167 may be moved to position to receive incidental separate sheets of paper before the permanent record sheet is moved to its stored position as just described. Ordinarily however the pocket thus afforded is not as convenient as the pocket afforded in the form of the invention shown in FIGS. 1 through 10 and for this reason it may be preferred to perforate both the duplicate record sheet 166 and the permanent record sheet 162 whereby the pasted marginal edges of both can be removed to reduce the bulk of the permanently stored record sheets. An advantage of the particular record forms 162 is that both parts are printed on one side only and thus may be less expensive than the forms 60 shown in FIGS. 1 through 10.

In FIG. 13 there is shown a modified version of a holder 222 which may be identical in all respects with the holder 22 shown in FIG. 3 except that in addition to the tab 252, which is identical with the tab 52 shown in FIG. 3, there is another tab 253 formed on the lower edge of the upper leaf 232 of the holder 222. The additional tab 253 has formed on it a continuation of the indicator line 254 and may have dollar and cents indicia 256 and 258 respectively. Thus when this modified holder 222 is in use the additional tab 253 affords additional convenience in the drawing of an imaginary line for separation of the dollar and cents entries on the checks being filled out.

The arrangement of the printed matter on the record forms 60 or 160 is generally similar in both modifications and accordingly will be described in detail only in connection with the record forms 60 as best shown in FIGS. 4, 5, 8 and 9. Thus in FIG. 4 there is shown the active face of the pennanent record sheet 62 of the form 60. The matter printed on this surface of the sheet 62 comprises three boxes 310, 312 and 314 which are so positioned as to receive a copy of the date, check number (if used), name of payee and amount, all as will be handwritten on the respective overlying original checks. The signature, of course, also will be duplicated on the sheet 62 but this is not an essential part of the permanent record and therefore the words "Permanent Record Not Negotiable" are preferably printed in the area of the record sheet 62 upon which the signature will fall. As will be apparent from FIG. 4 the latter printed words lie outside the boxes 310, 312 and 314.

The printed matter on the permanent record sheet 62 also includes a vertically disposed line 316 which serves as a line of may beimprinted within each of the boxes 310, 312 and 314. The numerical amount entered on each of the original checks will be duplicated on the permanent record sheet 62 and will appear thereon in the form of an addable column, assuming that the imaginary line established by the tab 52 of the holder 22 (FIG. 3) or the tabs 252 and 253 (FIG. 13) has been adhered to with reasonable accuracy when the original checks are filled out.

The permanent record form also may have printed thereon appropriate horizontal lines for totaling the checks which are drawn when this particular permanent record sheet lies beneath a sheet of bank checks. Beneath the horizontal line forthe totaling of these checks there also may be printed another horizontal line for the entry of any counter checks or other checks which may have been drawn on this particular account. A further horizontal line is printed for the totaling of all checks drawn in the period during which this particular permanent record sheet 62 is active. Beyond this, if so desired, the space at the lower left-hand comer of the permanent record sheet 62 may have printed thereon appropriate boxes for noting which of the checks just drawn might cover a deductible or reimbursable expense or other wise might be of particular interest. The space in which this additional printed matter falls lies beneath that portion of the conventional bank check on which the name of the bank and the magnetic ink numbers are printed and thus it lies in an area which ordinarily does not have any handwritten matter duplicated from the checks as they were filled out.

The duplicate record sheet 66 may be entirely blank whereby everything that is written on each of the three original checks will appear in duplicated form on the separable duplicate sections 63, 65 and 67. However, it is desirable at least to print on-the duplicate record sheet the words Duplicate Not Negotiable, preferably in the zone in which the check signatures will be duplicated thereon. Further the duplicate sheet 66 may have boxes printed thereon similar to the boxes 310, 312 and 314 of the permanent record sheet 62 and also may have legend such as dollars and cents with associated line of demarcation similar to the line 316 on the per- FIG. 5 the duplicate record sheet with the optional printed material just described is shown partially revealed as a result of turning the sheet 66 backwardly.

In FIG. 8 a form 60 is shown positioned beneath checks 82, 84 and 86, which it will be assumed have been filled out and are now ready to be removed. In FIG. 9 there is shown the record form 60 which lies on the right-hand side of the ring binder 12 while the checks 82, 84 and 86 are being filled out.

This is the last-preceding form 60 which has the permanent record form 62 filled out and turned face down for storage. The surface of the record form 60 shown in FIG. 9 therefore is the back surface of the permanent record sheet 62. On this surface of the form 60 there is printed an appropriate set of columns and indicia in which entry of deposits may be made and also to which the old balance may be transferred and a new balance may be established when the checks 82, 84 and 86 have been completed. The new balance thus entered in the lower left comer of the surface of the form 62 shown in FIG. 9 is now ready to be transferred to the form 60 which until this time has remained on the Ieft hand side of the binder as shown in FIG. 8. The form 60 shown in FIG. 8 is now turned to the right-hand side of the binder 10 and the duplicate copies 63, 65 and 67 are removed, whereupon this particular record form 60 assumes the position shown in FIG. 9.

A new record form 60 is beneath it to assume the operative position shown in full lines in FIG. 1.

As noted above the printed matter on the forms 160 shown n FIGS. 11 and 12 is very similar to the forms 60 just described. However, the forms 160 are so arranged as to place the supply stack of new forms 160 on the right-hand side of ring binder and to place the completed forms 160 in a storage stack in the holder pocket beneath leaf 132. Thus the Details of Deposits" blanks are printed so as to fit between the permanent record boxes 310, 312 and 314 and to the left of vertical line 316 (see FIG. 11). Also, on the same surface of sheet 162 is printed the balancing column which is similar to that shown in FIG. 5.

In the modification of the copies of previously written checks will appear in properly oriented handwriting. At the same time the surfaces of stored forms 60 exposed on the right-hand side of the binder will show thedeposit data and balancing computations in properly oriented handwriting.

In the modification of the invention shown in FIGS. 11 and 12 access to stored forms 160 may be had by turning the upper leaf 132 of holder 122 outwardly and to the left to put the check pad 141 face down outside the binder 110. This will expose the upper surfaces of the stored forms 160 on the lefthand side of the binder with the handwritten records appearing in properly oriented position.

For reconciling the account when a bank statement comes in the cancelled checks may be temporarily positioned over the proper pennanent record copy and, in those forms provided with the pocket for retaining deposit slips and the like,

line with the blank for numerical value of the check. For thepresent invention the No." blank should not be filled in to avoid confusion on the record sheet. Instead the checks should be dated and the time, in hours and minutes, at which the check is written should be written as shown in FIG. 8. Thus each check will be unique as to date and time. To tell which checks have not yet been cleared and returned it is only necessary to relate each cancelled check to the permanent record sheet as described above.

In FIGS. 14, 15 and 16 there is shown a further modification of the present invention which is adapted for use with a pad or stack of single checks as distinguished from the multiple check sheets disclosed in the preceding modifications. Thus the present modification afiords substantial advantages in connection with a portable or pocket checkbook. In addition to providing permanent, necessarily accurate, records of each individual check as it is filled a separate duplicate record of each check may be provided, if so desired. For persons using very small quantities of checks the modification shown in FIGS. 14 through 16 may be all that is required for convenient and complete control, balancing and reconciling of a particular bank account. On the other hand for persons making use of one or more of the larger, desk-type modifications shown in FIGS. 1 through 10 and in FIGS. 11 and 12 the present modification can be used in a supplementary manner, making it possible to use the portable checkbook at times making permanent records of the checks which later can be physically transferred to and bound into the ring binder all as will be explained below.

In FIG. 14 there is shown a portable checkbook folder generally indicated at 410 which may be made of cardboard or suitable sheet plastic material. The folder 410 comprises a rear cover panel 412 hinged along a line 414 to an end wall 416 which in turn is hinged along line 418 to a front cover panel 420. A spacer panel 422 is hinged along lines 424 and 426 to the cover panel 420 and an inner, record-form-retaining panel 428.

For securing a supply of checks generally indicated at 430 to the rear cover panel 412 there is provided an inner panel or tongue 411 secured by stripes of adhesive 413 and 415 to the panel 412 in such manner as to leave the left-hand vertical and upper horizontal edges of tongue 411 free. A clip 432 preferably made of a springy plastic material comprises a bottom wall 434 an end wall 436 and a top wall 438. In its simplest form the clip 432 may be a three-sided plastic extrusion cut off at a suitable length. Also preferably, the clip 432 is so constructed that the top wall 438 tends to spring toward the bottom wall 434 thus to firmly pinch the left-hand edge of tongue 411 and to accommodate and retain on the tongue anything from a single check form up to a stack or pad of 20 or 25 checks. If a person intends to use a pad of checks with an adhesive spine along one vertical edge thereof such a pad may be positioned upon the tongue 411 and the clip 432 is then forced over the spine of the pad and over the left-hand edge of tongue 411 so as to secure the pad of checks to the tongue in the position shown in FIG. 15. Alternatively one or more single check forms may be secured by the clip 432 to the tongue 411. A special advantage of this modification is that businesssize checks, usually about 2% by 7% inches are not customarily supplied in pads of single checks and such business-size checks may be torn from the usual multiple or secretary" sheets and stacked for use in the holder 410 if the holder 410 is made for checks of such size. For use with smaller personal checks the holder 410 can be made smaller in lengthwise dimensions.

As shown in FIG. 14 a pad of printed record forms 440 is secured in any one of several manners, as will be described below, to the record retaining panel 428 in such position that the forms in such pad may be interleaved with the checks when desired. The pad of record forms 440 consists of a plurality of individual forms 442 secured to a conventional pad spine 444 so that each form may be individually detached after it has been used. The individual forms 442 preferably are made of a pressure-sensitive self-marking paper, for example a paper having distributed therein suitable coloring material in microencapsulated form as described above in connection with the preceding modifications. The pad of record forms is so positioned upon the panel 428 that the printed material on the individual forms 442 appears upon the surfaces which face downwardly with respect to the panel 428. Thus, as viewed in FIG. 15, the pad of record forms which lies upon the panel 428 has the printed material lying face down whereas the individual record form 442 shown in that Fig. has been turned over for interleaving beneath the uppermost check in the stack or pad 430.

The pad 440 of record forms may be adhesively secured along the spine 444 thereof to the panel 428 of the holder 410. It will be appreciated that the holder 410 is made of an inexpensive material such as cardboard or plastic and that the manufacturer thereof may supply a holder 410 with a pad of record forms 440 adhesively secured thereto, the holder 410 being expendable when the record forms are used up, Alternatively the record form pad 440 may be supplied in a form such that the user may secure a new pad to the inner panel "428 of a holder 410 as often as replacement of the pad is required. To the latter end it is merely necessary to use the lowermost form 442 in the new pad 440 as a tongue to be inserted beneath panel 428 where it will be held by friction. As a further alternative (not shown) the pad 440 of record forms may be assembled with a cardboard backing sheet, as is common practice with checkbook refills, in which event the cardboard backing sheet is slipped over the edge of the panel 428 so as to secure the pad 440 thereto. In any event the pad 440 of record forms is either permanently or temporarily secured to the inner panel 428 and the book may be folded flat with full stacks of checks and recorded forms. Individual forms 442 may be turned into the intermediate position shown in FIG. 15, when the book is opened, so as to line up laterally with the checks in the pad or stack 430. From this intermediate position the pad 440 is advanced upwardly into the final position shown in FIG. 16 by turning the spacer panel 422 along its hinge lines. This moves the individual form 442 into proper vertical registry with the uppermost check of the stack 430.

As shown in FIG. 16 a line of demarcation 446 is printed upon the spacer panel 422 in such position as to be readily visible when the panel 422 assumes the position shown in FIG. 16. Also, if so desired, the words or symbols dollars" and cents" may be printed on the leftand right-hand sides, respectively, of the line of demarcation 446 as is shown in FIG. 16 at 448 and 450.

Referring now to FIG. 15 the printed matter on the useful surfaces of the individual forms 442 comprises a box 452 within which the date, name of payee and handwritten amount of the check will be reproduced. Also the words dollars" and cents are printed in appropriate location on the leftand right-hand side respectively of a vertical printed line 454. Thus if the numerical amount of the check, is filled in along an imaginary line projected from the line of demarcation 446 on the end wall 422 the numerals will be reproduced on the proper sides respectively of the printed vertical line 454 on the form 442. In the space of the form 442 in which the signature of the check will be duplicated the words "Record Copy Not Negotiable" may be printed as shown in FIG. 15. Also within the space on a conventional bank check in which the name of the bank and the magnetic-ink identification numerals are customarily printed nothing is handwritten incident to making out the check. Thus on the form 442 in the area in which no handwriting thus will appear there may be printed certain items helpful in bookkeeping, for example there may be provided a box 456 in which there is printed the words deductible" or reimbursable" so that the user may make appropriate notations by handwriting in the box 456 after the check has been completed and removed from the pad 430.

After the record form 442, as shown in FIG. 16, has been completed and the overlying check has been removed the panel 428 is swung outwardly into the position shown in FIG. 14 and the completed form 442 may then be folded over the spine 444 to assume the position shown at 442A in FIG. 14 where it may be retained for storage. This same action, of course, exposes a new form 440 for use with the next succeeding check in the pad 430.

It will be understood that all of the individual forms 442 within the pad 440 may be identical in so far as the printed material thereon is concerned. For example they all may carry the words "Record Copy, Not Negotiable" as shown in FIG. 15. If it is desired to make two copies of any check it is merely necessary to place two individual forms 442 in interleaved position beneath the uppermost check blank 430A before the latter is filled out. Alternatively, successive forms 442 within the pad 440 may be difl'erently imprinted, that is one form 442 may be printed to serve as a permanent record copy as is shown inFIG. l5 and the next successive form 442 may be totally blank or may be properly imprinted to identify it as a duplicate record. In either event the extra or duplicate copy may be detached from the pad and placed in an appropriate file thus serving the function of the duplicate record forms disclosed in FIGS. 1 through and FIGS. 11 and 12.

The forms 442, as shown in FIGS. 14 through 16, each have perforations 458 formed therein. This is an optional feature, and if provided, such perforations 458 may be so spaced that the completed record forms 442 may be placed upon the binder rings or 120 of the checkbook shown respectively in FIGS. 1 through 10 and in FIGS. 11 and I2. Thus, the portable checkbook of FIGS. 14 through 16 may be used as a supplement to either of the ring binder forms of this invention. The permanent record forms 442 willbe transferred to the appropriate ring binder in order to assure that all of the checks drawn on a particular account may be accounted for.

The portable checkbook of FIGS. 14 through 16 need not be limited in use to one particular account. For example a few checks for each of several accounts may be stacked in the holder 210 and may be used and duplicated on the fonns 442 as desired.

In FIGS. 17 and 18 there is shown a still further modified form of the invention which is particularly adapted for use with personal size checks of the type which are bound into a pad and are provided with a cardboard tongue. The pads are refills and the tongue customarily is inserted into a suitable pocket in a leather or plastic carrier ordinarily supplied free by the bank in which the account exists. Such check refill pads usually have, say, checks in the pad and they also usually have several computation sheets on which the amount of each successively drawn check must be separately handwritten with the possibility of error. In accordance with the present invention instead of using the holder and computation sheets supplied by the bank a special form of holder is provided which is supplied with or adapted to be supplied with a pad of record forms which may be utilized in substantially the same manner as that disclosed above in connection with FIGS. 14 through 16.

In FIG. 17 a holder 510 is shown which may be made of cardboard or suitable plastic sheet material for use with a refill pad 530 of conventional personal bank checks. The pad 530 usually comprises a spine 53] in which the checks are bound and a cardboard tongue or back 533. Holder 510 comprises a back cover panel 512 and an inner retaining panel 511 which is integrally hinged to the back panel 512 along a fold line 513. The fold line 513 is cut open from a point indicated at 515 to a point 517 close to the right-hand vertical edge of the panel 511. The length of the slit along the fold line 513 is such as to form an opening into which the back or tongue 533 of the check pad 530 may be inserted as indicated in FIG. 17 and then pushed downwardly to assume a final position as shown in FIG. 18 wherein the check pad 530 lies snugly and securely fitted in proper position upon the upper surface of the retaining panel 51 l.

The back panel 512 is hinged along a line 514 to a front cover panel 520 which in turn is hinged along a line 524 to a spacer panel 522. The panel 522 is hinged along a line 526 to a record fonn-retaining panel 528. A pad of, preferably selfmarking, record forms 540 comprising individual record forms 542 is secured to the retaining panel 528 by any suitable means. As noted above in connection with the modification shown in FIGS. 14 through 16 the record from pad 540 may be permanently adhesively secured to the inner retaining panel 528 whereby the holder 510 may be discarded or stored after all of the forms 542 are used. Alternatively, as noted above, the record form pad may be temporarily secured to the panel 528 by means of conventional cardboard tongue (not shown) or merely by folding over one of the forms 542 to serve as a tongue, all as may be desired in any individual instance.

The individual record forms 542 may carry printed indicis identical with or functionally equivalent to the indicia described in detail above in connection with the modification shown in FIGS. 14 through 16. In any event the pad 540 is secured to the retaining panel 528 with the printed indicia face down whereby when an individual form is turned upwardly, as is shown in an intermediate position in FIG. 17, the printed side of the form 542 is exposed.

When it is desired to make out theuppermost check 530A in the pad 530 such uppermost check is turned back to permit insertion therebeneath of one or more of the individual forms 542. The pad 540 is advanced by turning the spacer panel 522 to the FIG. 18 position. The printed line of demarcation 546 may be mentally projected upwardly to establish an imaginary line on the face of the check to the right and left of which the user inserts the numerical value of the check all as described in detail in connection with preceding examples of this invention.

In FIG. 18 the portable checkbook forming the present modification is shown in the position assumed when a check 530A is to be made out. As shown in FIG. 18 a form 542 is positioned beneath the uppermost check 530A in the pad 530. After the check has been filled in and removed the underlying form 542 may have such additional notations made thereon as may be desired after which the form may be folded over'and behind the retaining panel 528 for storage.

If so desired each of the forms 542 in the pad 540 may be 7 provided with perforations 558 so spaced as to permit storage of the separate used forms upon the rings 20 or I20 of either the ring binders shown in the modifications of the present invention illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 10 and in FIGS. II and I2.

In both of the books 410 and 510 shown respectively in FIGS. 14 through 16 and FIGS. 17 and 18 certain of the crease lines are so positioned as to permit the book, with checks and duplicate forms secured thereto, to be folded into closed position so as to be readily insertable into a pocket or purse. Thus, referring briefly to FIG. 14, it will be apparent that the holder 410 may be folded along the lines 414 and 418 so as to superimpose the record form pad 440 upon the uppermost check in the stack or pad 430. The spacer panel 422 provides room for full stacks or pads with the book closed and flat.

In FIGS. I9, 20 and 21 there is shown a record form of modified construction for use in connection with a ring binder and check blank holder of the type shown, for example, in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. In this modification of the present invention the record form 660 comprises a base sheet 662 which serves as a permanent record sheet and at least one duplicate record sheet 666. In this instance the permanent record sheet and the duplicate record sheet or sheets are of the same size and they both are provided with openings 664 properly spaced for attachment upon the binder rings 620 of a ring binder 610 (see FIG. 21). The permanent record sheet 662 and duplicate record sheet or sheets 666 are secured together along the edges thereof in which the openings 664 are formed, by a line of adhesive 668 which is of sufficient width to extend inwardly (or to the left as viewed in FIG. 19) of the opening 664. Still further inwardly of the duplicate record sheet or sheets 666, only, there is formed a vertically extending line of perforations 674 along which the duplicate record sheet or sheets may be separated from the pennanent record sheet 662. Preferably also each of the duplicate record sheet or sheets 666 is provided with additional lines of perforations 678 along which individual duplicates of each check may be separated for filing purposes. Upon removal of the separable portion of each of the duplicate record sheets 666 there is left a strip of paper 676 which is a remnant of the duplicate record sheet and which remains adhesively secured to the base or permanent record sheet 662. Because of the lateral spacing between the line of perforation 674 along which such separation occurs and the inner edge of the line of adhesive 668 there is a lip portion of the strip 676 under which items such as deposit slips, notes and the like may be inserted, all as described above in connection with FIGS. 1 through 10.

The pennanent record sheet 662 may have printed thereon the same things that are printed on the permanent record sheet 62 as shown in FIG. 4. Thus the printed items may include boxes 6,310, 6,312 and 6,314 in which the essential details of the checks will be duplicated. Also it may have a vertical printed line 6,316 to separate dollars and cents when the latter items are entered properly upon the check blanks. The lower portion of each permanent record sheet 662 may have further printed matter providing spaces for totaling the amount of checks drawn and for notations of such items as may be deductible or reimbursable for tax or business reasons.

Each duplicate record sheet 666 may be entirely blank on the surface which lies immediately beneath the permanent record sheet 662 or it may be imprinted with the legend Duplicate Not Negotiable and other useful printed matter as shown on the duplicate record sheet 66 described in connection with FIG. 5.

On the reverse surface of the record form 660 the duplicate record sheet or sheets 666 may be totally blank. Therefore, the blank surface is not shown herein. Instead, as shown in FIG. 20, the severable portions of the duplicate record sheet 666 have been removed to reveal the reverse surface of the permanent record sheet 662. This reverse surface has imprinted thereon substantially the same matter as is printed upon the reverse surface of permanent record sheet 62 as shown in FIG. 5. However, the arrangement of such printed matter is somewhat different. In FIG. 20 it will be noted that spaces for "Details Of Deposits" are printed centrally of the reverse side of permanent record sheet 662 in positions which will lie under the bank identification areas of standard check blanks and thus in an area in which no handwritten material will be reproduced. This does not differ materially from the permanent record sheet 62 of FIG. 5. However, the columns for balancing the account are printed near the right-hand edge of the permanent record sheet 662 as shown in FIG. 20 instead of near the left-hand edge as is the case in record sheet 62 in FIG. 5.

ln FIGS. 20 and 21 it will be noted that the lip of the paper strip 676 may be utilized as a pocket for insertion of related, unpunched deposit slips or other separate sheets of paper 696 and 698.

In FIG. 21, which is a fragmentary view corresponding generally with FIG. 2, it will be observed that one record form 660 is positioned on the left-hand side of the book to lie beneath a sheet of checks which includes a check blank 686. The holder for the stack of check blanks is omitted from FIG. 21 but it will be understood that it can be identical with the holder 22 shown in FIG. 3. Therefore, a supply of unused record forms 660 will be positioned beneath the upper leaf of the holder just as illustrated in FIG. 2. An unused record blank 660 is withdrawn from such supply and is then placed in the position shown in FIG. 21 wherein it lies beneath the uppermost sheet of check blanks. The check blanks are then filled out to make them into negotiable instruments and the data written upon the checks will be duplicated upon the permanent record sheet 662 and the duplicate record sheet or sheets 666 beneath such uppermost sheet of checks. During the time that a sheet of checks is being made out the immediately preceding used record form 660 will be positioned on the right-hand side of the book as shown in FIG. 21 whereby details with respect to deposits may be entered thereon and related deposit slips and the like 696, 698 may be inserted into the pocket beneath the lip of the strip of paper 676.

As is the case in any of the record forms described hereinabove it is preferred that the permanent record sheet 662 and the duplicate record sheet or sheets 666 be made of paper having pressure-sensitive duplicating means incorporated therein. However, in the present modification as well as in all of the other record forms herein disclosed, ordinary paper may be used for the forms in conjunction with one-time carbon sheets associated with each record sheet or alternatively with loosesheets of multiple-use carbon paper if so desired.

The modification of the record form shown in FIGS. .19 through 21 offers certain advantages over the forms shown in FIGS. 1 through 10 and FIGS. 11 and 12 respectively. Like the record form 60 shown in FIGS. 1 through 10 the form 660 provides the storage pocket under paper lip 676 for deposit slips and the like but the form 660 provides such storage pocket close to the rings of the ring binder whereby slips of paper such as 696 and 698 are somewhat less likely to be dislodged from beneath the strip 676 than are the sheets 96 and 98 (FIG. 9) lodged beneath the strip 76. The forms in FIGS. 11 and 12 do not provide this storage pocket. An advantage of the form 660 over either of the forms 60 or 160 is that the form 660 may be made smaller in dimensions from left to right because it omits the waste strip 60A (see FIG. 1). The user thus does not have an edge 60A (FIG. 1) which must be folded back prior to insertion of the form beneath the uppermost sheet of checks. With the fonns 660, in which the line of adhesive 668 between the permanent record sheet 662 and duplicate record sheet or sheets 666 lies along the inner edge in the region of attachment to the rings 620, the free edges of the record sheets 662 and 666 may be laid flat and in accurate registry beneath the uppermost sheet of checks as will be apparent from a consideration of FIGS. 19 through 21.

In FIGS. 22 through 25 there is shown a still further modification of a record form of such construction as to be used in connection with a ring binder and check blank holder of the type shown, for example, in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. This further modification does not provide the pocket for storage of related unpunched papers such as deposit slips, but it does afford advantages in economy and in convenience of use. This further modification of the present invention is specifically so designed that all necessary printing and perforating is perfonned on a single flat sheet of paper which is thereafter folded along a predetermined line to provide the two superimposed plies which are characteristic of certain of the preceding modifications of this invention. While any of the preceding plural-ply modifications of the invention could be printed and perforated as a single sheet of paper and thereafter folded, the preferred forms of such modifications are made from separate plies which are superimposed and secured together by adhesive in the manner customarily employed in the manufacture of those business forms which snap apart. The present further modification may be manufactured by simpler techniques and equipment and without the use of any adhesive. It also uses a somewhat smaller area of paper than certain of the modifications above described.

Referring first to FIG. 22 a record from 760 is shown in the condition in which it emerges from the printing press, that is, in the form of a printed, perforated flat sheet. The permanent record sheet 762 is shown on the right-hand side of said FIG. 22 and the duplicate record sheet 766 is shown on the lefthand side of said figure. The sheets 762 and 766 are integral but are separated by a line of perforations 774. The duplicate record sheet 766 is further subdivided by lines of perforations 778 into three check-size separable duplicates. The surface of the form 760 shown in FIG. 22 has no printed matter upon the duplicate record sheet portion 766. The permanent record sheet portion 762 has printed thereon the permanent record indicia, boxes, etc., which may be identical with those shown, for example, in the modification illustrated in FIG. 4. Such printed matter is shown in FIG. 22 but will not be further described in view of the detailed description hereinabove.

A plurality of openings 764 is formed along the right-hand edge of the form 760 as viewed in FIG. 22 and such openings 764 are so spaced as to fit upon the rings of the ring binder selected for use.

Referring now to FIG. 23 the reverse surface of the form 760 is shown. Thus the permanent record sheet portion 762 lies to the left while the duplicate record sheet portion 766 lies to the right in said FIG. 23. On the surface of the permanent record sheet portion 762 there is printed the various lines and legends for the entry of details of deposits and columns for the balancing of the checkbook. The surface of the duplicate record sheet portion 766 which is shown in FIG. 23 has printed thereon appropriate boxes and legends for identifying the nonnegotiable duplicate copies of the original check. The printed matter on the surfaces of the permanent record sheet portion 762 and the duplicate record sheet portion 766 in FIG. 23 may be identical respectively with the printed matter already disclosed above in FIG. 5, for example.

The only further step required to prepare the record form 760 as shown in FIGS. 22 and 23 for insertion into a user's ring-binder checkbook is to fold the same along the line of perforation 774 which separates the permanent and duplicate record portions described above. Thus in FIG. 24 the record form 760 is illustrated in the position which it will assume when it lies on the left-hand side of the ring binder (10 in FIG. 1 for example). It will be noted that the duplicate record sheet or ply 766 lies beneath the permanent record sheet or ply 762. When the form 760 is inserted beneath the uppermost check blank in a supply stack or pad the extreme left-hand edge which is folded along line of perforations 774 will fall into registry with the left-hand edge of the supply of checks.

In FIG. 25 the record form 760 is illustrated in the position which it assumes when it lies on the right-hand side of a ring binder (10 in FIG. 1 for example). The duplicate record sheet 766 is now severed along the line of perforations 774 thus exposing the surface of the permanent record sheet portion 762 which is shown in FIG. 23. Appropriate entries are made on this surface as a new sheet of checks is being made out.

A still further modification of a record form for use in a ring binder such as that shown at 10in FIG. I is illustrated in FIGS. 26 through 30. This still further modification is also specifically designed to be printed and perforated while it is in the form of a single flat sheet of paper. It differs from the modification shown in FIGS. 22 through 25 in that it provides a storage pocket comparable in utility to that illustrated in FIG. 1 for example. Referring first to FIG. 26 the record form 860 comprises a permanent record sheet portion 866. These portions are separated by a fold line 875 which is indicated in broken lines in said FIG. 26. This fold line 875 may be formed as a crease in the printing press or may be formed later in a folding machine as may be desired. The permanent record sheet portion 862 has formed therein a series of openings 864 so spaced as to receive the rings of FIG. I for example) of a ring binder with which the record forms are to be used. The surface of the permanent record sheet portion 862 shown in FIG. 26 may have printed thereon the same legends and other materials as are disclosed in earlier modifications. The printed matter illustrated in FIG. 26 is identical with that shown in FIGS. 4 and 22.

The duplicate record sheet portion 866 has formed therein a vertical line of perforations 874 which is parallel with but spaced laterally toward the left (as viewed in FIG. 26) from the fold line 875. The duplicate record sheet portion 866 is also provided with lines of perforations 878 along which individual duplicate copies of the'checks may be separated as disclosed above.

In FIG. 27 the reverse surface of the record from 860 is shown. In this figure the surface of the permanent record sheet portion 862 has printed thereon the lines and legends required for entry of details of deposits and a set of columns for balancing the checking account. The duplicate record sheet portion 866 has printed on the surface shown in FIG. 27 the necessary legends and lines to identify the duplicate copies of the checks all asdescribed above, it beihgunderstood that the printing on this particular portion of the form may be omitted if so desired.

A vertically extending strip of adhesive material 868 is ap-. plied to the surface of the form 860 so as to straddle the fold line 875. This strip of adhesive may be in the form of two or more very narrow, spaced parallel strips if so desired. The adhesive 868 may be applied as a part of the printing operation. in which event an adhesive material which will dry and will not adhere to any thing except another surface covered by the same adhesive should be used. Alternatively the adhesive 868 may be applied to the form 860 just before folding, for example, by a suitable attachment on the folding machine. v

In either event the flat sheet of paper as illustrated in FIGS. 26 and 27 is folded along the fold line 875 into the configuration shown in FIG. 28. In this figure it will be observed that the adhesive on opposite sides of the fold line 875 has come into contact with itself thus to hold the adjacent areas of the paper tightly together. It also will be observed that the line of perforations 874 is laterally displaced to theright as viewed in FIG. 28 from the area of the adhesive. The position illustrated in this figure is that assumed by the record form 860 when it is in the checkbook and positioned beneath a sheet of checks for the purpose of receiving copies of the data entered on the checks.

In FIG. 29 the fonn 860 is shown in the position which it assumes on the right-hand side of a ring-binder checkbook (10 in FIG. 1 for example). The duplicate record sheet portion 866 now lies on top of the form and is ready to be severed therefrom. After the severable portion of the record sheet portion 866 is removed the surface of the permanent record sheet portion 862 is exposed on the right-hand side of the book for entry of details of deposits and for balancing of the account.

As shown in FIG. 30 removal of the separated portion of the duplicate record sheet portion 866 along the line of perforations 874 leaves a remnant 876 extending along the right-hand edge of the remainder of the form 860. The remnant 876 is held in position by the adhesive 868 and the unadhered portions thereof form a pocket into which related papers may be inserted in the manner illustrated, for example, in FIG. 1.

It should be noted that the individual duplicate copies provided by the duplicate record sheet portion 866 shown in F 1G.- 27 are somewhat shorter from left to right than the corresponding duplicate copies provided by the modification of the invention shown in FIGS. 22 through 25. This is because the line of perforations 874 is laterally displaced to the right from the fold line 875 to afford the pocket-forming remnant 876. Consideration of a standard bank check as illustrated in any one of several of the figures hereinabove will reveal that the only material that is normally handwritten in the extreme left-hand region of a check is the first few letters of the spelled-out numerical value of the check. Absence of these few letters from the duplicate copies would not materially affect the utility of such copies.

It will be recognized that while the various embodiments of the present invention differ considerably in detail, there are certain features common to all embodiments which, in combination, constitute the essence of the invention. Thus, all embodiments of the book include outer panels such as the front and back cover panels 12 and 14 and end panel 16 in FIG. 1 or such as the front and back cover panels 420 and 412 and end panel 416 in FIG. 14. The front and back cover panels are hinged to the back panel along at least one hinge line so that the book may be opened in usual fashion. In FIG. 1 the supply of check blanks is secured to an inner panel 32 (the upper leaf of holder 20) and it is movable relative to both the front and back cover panels about an axis established by the bellows back 30 of holder 20. In FIG. 14 the check supply is secured to an inner panel 411 which is not movable relative to the back panel 412 but which is movable relative to the front panel 420 about an axis parallel with the hinge line or lines of the cover panels. The embodiment shown in FIG. 17 is similar in these respects to the FIG. 14 embodiment. The various inner panels thus disclosed share the common function of providing a definite position for check blanks in sheet or single form and of various sizes and arrangements relative to the other parts of the books to which the record blanks are secured in various ways.

In all embodiments the supply of check blanks are held to the respective inner panels by engagement with one edge only so that the uppermost check blank, whether it is a sheet (FIG. 1) or a single check blank (FIGS. 14 and 17) may be bent back to permit insertion of one or more record forms therebeneath. Also, in all embodiments, the supply of record blanks is secured between the cover panels of the book by means which engage one edge only of the supply (rings 20 in FIG. 1, and a tongue or adhesive in FIGS. 14 and 17). Thus in all embodiments the individual record forms are movable by swinging them over the secured edge so as to fall in proper position beneath the uppermost check blank to receive in duplicate the markings formed on the check blank incident to making it into a negotiable instrument.

Some mention has been made hereinabove with respect to the relative sizes of the record forms, the parts thereof and their relationship to the size of the checks or sheets of checks with which they are to be used. In a general sense the duplicate record sheet forming a part of all embodiments of the present invention should be of adequate size to receive, in duplicate, copies of everything that is written upon the checks incident to making them into negotiable instruments. As a matter of convenience in those embodiments of the invention shown in FIGS. 1, ll, 19, 22 and 26 the permanent record sheet preferably will have a vertical dimension equal to the vertical dimension of the check blank sheets to be used. Such identical dimensions make it easy to assure accurate registry in the direction of the vertical dimensions of the record form and the check blank. In all of these embodiments of the invention the duplicate record sheet has at least three edges which coincide in registry with three of the edges of the permanent record sheet. The fourth edge of the duplicate record sheets in FIGS. 1, l l, 22 and v26 terminates short of the edge of the permanent record sheet in which the binder ring holes are punched. In the modification shown in FIG. 19 all four edges of the duplicate record sheet coincide with the corresponding edges of the permanent record sheet and in this instance the binder ring holes are formed in both the duplicate and the permanent record sheet. In all of the embodiments of the invention mentioned in this paragraph the vertical dimensions of the separable duplicate copies of the checks are identical in vertical dimensions with the vertical dimensions of the check blanks. The left to right dimensions of such duplicate copies do not have to be exactly equal to those of the checks. However, even in the modification shown in FIG. 26, such left to right dimension of the duplicate copies is only slightly reduced and thus is substantially equal to the corresponding dimension of the check blank.

Since it sometimes will be desirable to use a ring binder checkbook of any of the modifications shown in this application along with a portable checkbook of one of the modifications shown in FIGS. 14 or 17 it is highly desirable that the vertical dimensions of the duplicate record copies formed in the portable checkbook be equal to those of the duplicate record copies formed in the ring binder checkbook. This is because such duplicate record copies, irrespective of the checkbook in which they are formed, will be filed in groups according to the classification of the expenditure they record. If the copies coming from the portable books were greater in vertical dimensions than the copies coming from ring binder books they would stick up in the file and make handling and searching of the file difficult. It is for this reason that the portable checkbooks shown in FIGS. 14 and 17 are provided with the spacer panels 422 or 522 which advance the stack of record forms across the end panel 416 or 516 when the book is open so that the edges of the stack of record forms come into very close proximity with the lower edges of the check blanks when checks are to be made out. In such position the individual record forms 442 or 542 which are turned over and inserted beneath the uppermost check blank will fall automatically in registry with the check blank and will do so even though the vertical dimensions of the record forms are substantially identical or exactly identical with the vertical dimensions of the check blanks. After the checks have been written and the book is to be closed the movement of spacer panel 422 or 522 retracts the stack of record forms away from the lower edges of the checks thus giving room within the closed book for the stacks of checks and record blanks, even when both stacks are filled to capacity.

What is claimed is: I. In a combined check and record-keeping book having at least two outer panels including front and rear cover panels hinged along at least one hinge line for movement of said front and rear cover panels relatively to one another into open and closed positions, the combination of:

at least one inner panel made of relatively stiff sheet material and secured within said book between said front and rear cover panels for movement relative to at least one of said front and rear cover panels about an axis parallel with said hinge line, means for securing a supply of superimposed check blanks to said inner panel with said supply of check blanks lying on said inner panel in a definite position with respect to said inner panel and with respect to said axis, said securing means engaging said supply of check blanks along one edge only thereof with the printed surfaces of all of said check blanks facing away from said inner panel whereby when said book is open the printed surfaces of the check blanks within said supply may be exposed successively to receive markings thereon,

the check blanks within said supply each being movable when said book is open by swinging said check blank over the edge thereof engaged by said securing means,

a supply of superimposed record blanks including pressureresponsive duplicating means,

means for attaching said supply of record blanks to said book between said cover panels by engagement only along an edge of said record blank supply which is parallel with said hinge line, the record blanks of said supply each being movable when said book is open by swinging said record blank over the edge of said supply which is engaged by said attaching means,

said attaching means serving to so position said supply of record blanks in said book that when said book is open and the uppermost check blank is swung over said edge of said supply of check blanks engaged by said securing means to expose the next underlying check blank at least one of said record blanks may be swung over said edge of said supply of record blanks engaged by said attaching means and laid upon said next underlying check blank in a predetermined position such that when said uppermost check blank is returned to superimposed relationship said record blank will lie in accurate registry with and beneath said uppermost check blank to receive in duplicate the markings formed on said uppermost check blank incident to making said uppermost check blank into a negotiable instrument.

2. In a combined check and record-keeping book of the looseleaf type having outer panels comprising front and rear cover panels movable relative to one another into opened and closed positions, and having a plurality of binder rings, the combination of:

a holder made of relatively stiff sheet material having a plurality of openings along one edge for securing said holder within said book by engagement with said binder rings, said holder being folded upon itself along at least one fold line which is parallel with the edge of said holder within which said openings are formed, the portion of said holder which is thus folded back constituting an inner panel which extends toward but terminates short of the edge of said holder in which said openings are formed whereby when said holder is positioned in said book and said book is opened said inner panel may be swung about the axis established by said fold line relative to said front and rear cover panels, means for securing a supply of superimposed check blanks to said inner panel with said supply of check blanks lying on said inner panel in a definite position with respect to said inner panel and with respect to said axis, said securing means comprising a clamping device secured to said inner panel adjacent said fold line and adapted to engage said supply of check blanks along one edge only thereof which lies parallel with and adjacent to said fold line, the printed surfaces of all of said check blanks facing away from said inner panel whereby when said book is opened the printed surfaces of the check blanks within said supply may be exposed successively to receive markings thereon the check blanks within said supply each being movable when said book is opened by swinging said check blank over the edge thereof engaged by said clamping device,

a supply of superimposed record blanks including pressureresponsive duplicating means, each of the record blanks within said supply having formed along one edge thereof a plurality of openings by which said record blanks are attached to said binder rings,

the record blanks of said supply each being movable when said book is opened by swinging said record blank about the axis established by said binder rings whereby when said book is opened and the uppermost check blank is swung about said edge of said supply of check blanks engaged by said clamping means to expose the next underlying check blank at least one of said record blanks may be swung about the axis established by said binder rings to fall upon said next underlying check blank in a predetermined position such that when said uppermost check blank is returned to superimposed relationship said record blank will lie in accurate registry with and beneath said uppermost check blank to receive in duplicate the markings formed on said uppermost check blank incident to making said uppennost check blank into a negotiable instrument.

3. A combined check and record-keeping book in accordance with claim 1 in which there is provided, upon a surface of said book which is visible when said book is open and when said record blank is positioned to receive in duplicate the markings formed on said uppermost check blank, means for visually indicating a line of demarcation between the do]- lars and cents markings to be numerically formed upon said uppermost check blank.

4. A combined check and record-keeping book in accordance with claim 3 in which said means for visually indicating said line of demarcation comprises a printed line an imaginary continuation of which extends through an area of said uppermost check blank in which dollars and cents markings are to be numerically formed.

5. A combined check and record-keeping book in accordance with claim 3 in which said means for visually indicating said line of demarcation comprises a tab formed integrally with said inner panel of said book and extending beyond the area of said inner panel upon which said supply of check blanks lie, and a printed line formed on said tab an imaginary continuation of which line extends through an area of said uppermost check blank in which dollars and cents markings are to be numerically formed.

6. In a pocket-size combined check and record-keeping book having a generally planar front cover panel, a generally planar rear cover panel and an end panel, said front and rear cover panels being swingable relative to one another and to said end panel about at least one axis established by said end panel for movement of said front and rear cover panels to open and close said book, the combination of:

a first inner panel made of relatively stifl sheet material and secured within said book between said front and rear cover panels for movement with said rear cover psnel relative to said front cover panel as said book is opened and closed, means for securing a supply of superimposed check blanks to said first inner panel with said supply of check blanks lying in a definite position on said first inner panel, said securing means engaging said supply of check blanks along one edge only thereof with the printed surfaces of all of said check blanks facing away from said first inner' panel whereby when said book is opened the printed surfaces of the check blanks within said supply may be exposed successively to receive markings thereon,

the check blanks within said supply each having an edge positioned adjacent said end panel and each being movable when said book is open by swinging said check blank over the edge thereof engaged by said securing means, a spacer panel hinged to said front cover panel along a hinge line parallel with said axis established by said end panel, a second inner panel hinged to said spacer panel along a hinge line parallel with said axis established by said end panel, said second inner panel thus being secured within said book between said front and rear cover panels for movement with said front cover panel relative to said rear cover panel as said book is opened and closed, and for movement with said spacer panel in a plane parallel with and relative to said front cover panel when said spacer panel is moved about the hinge line by which it is hinged to said front cover panel, a supply of superimposed record blanks including pressureresponsive duplicating means, means for attaching said supply of record blanks to said second inner panel by engagement only along an edge of said record blank supply which is adjacent said end panel and is parallel with said axis established by said end panel, the record blanks of said supply each being movable when said book is open by swinging said record blank over the edge of said supply which is engaged by said attaching means,

the movement of said spacer panel in one direction about said hinge line by which said spacer panel is hinged to said front panel being effective, when said book is open, to advance the edge of said supply of record blanks which is attached to said second inner panel across said end panel and into close proximity with the edges of said check blanks which are adjacent said end panel, whereby record blanks which are swung over said edge of said supply of record blanks which is engaged by said attaching means will fall automatically into registry with a check blank in said supply of check blanks, and

the movement of said spacer panel in an opposite direction about said hinge line by which said spacer panel is hinged to said front cover panel being effective to retract the edge of said supply of record blanks which is attached to said second inner panel across said end panel, whereby said book may be closed to flat condition with said spacer panel providing room within said closed book for full supplies of both said check blanks and said record blanks.

7. A pocket-size check and record-keeping book in accordance with claim 6 in which each of said record blanks has substantially the same dimensions as each of said check blanks.

8. A pocket-size check and record-keeping book in accordance with claim 6 in which said spacer panel has formed on the surface thereof which is exposed to view when said supply of record blanks is advanced into close proximity with said edges of said check blanks a visible line an imaginary continuation of which serves as a line of demarcation between 

1. In a combined check and record-keeping book having at least two outer panels including front and rear cover panels hinged along at least one hinge line for movement of said front and rear cover panels relatively to one another into open and closed positions, the combination of: at least one inner panel made of relatively stiff sheet material and secured within said book between said front and rear cover panels for movement relative to at least one of said front and rear cover panels about an axis parallel with said hinge line, means for securing a supply of superimposed check blanks to said inner panel with said supply of check blanks lying on said inner panel in a definite position with respect to said inner panel and with respect to said axis, said securing means engaging said supply of check blanks along one edge only thereof with the printed surfaces of all of said check blanks facing away from said inner panel whereby when said book is open the printed surfaces of the check blanks within said sUpply may be exposed successively to receive markings thereon, the check blanks within said supply each being movable when said book is open by swinging said check blank over the edge thereof engaged by said securing means, a supply of superimposed record blanks including pressureresponsive duplicating means, means for attaching said supply of record blanks to said book between said cover panels by engagement only along an edge of said record blank supply which is parallel with said hinge line, the record blanks of said supply each being movable when said book is open by swinging said record blank over the edge of said supply which is engaged by said attaching means, said attaching means serving to so position said supply of record blanks in said book that when said book is open and the uppermost check blank is swung over said edge of said supply of check blanks engaged by said securing means to expose the next underlying check blank at least one of said record blanks may be swung over said edge of said supply of record blanks engaged by said attaching means and laid upon said next underlying check blank in a predetermined position such that when said uppermost check blank is returned to superimposed relationship said record blank will lie in accurate registry with and beneath said uppermost check blank to receive in duplicate the markings formed on said uppermost check blank incident to making said uppermost check blank into a negotiable instrument.
 2. In a combined check and record-keeping book of the looseleaf type having outer panels comprising front and rear cover panels movable relative to one another into opened and closed positions, and having a plurality of binder rings, the combination of: a holder made of relatively stiff sheet material having a plurality of openings along one edge for securing said holder within said book by engagement with said binder rings, said holder being folded upon itself along at least one fold line which is parallel with the edge of said holder within which said openings are formed, the portion of said holder which is thus folded back constituting an inner panel which extends toward but terminates short of the edge of said holder in which said openings are formed whereby when said holder is positioned in said book and said book is opened said inner panel may be swung about the axis established by said fold line relative to said front and rear cover panels, means for securing a supply of superimposed check blanks to said inner panel with said supply of check blanks lying on said inner panel in a definite position with respect to said inner panel and with respect to said axis, said securing means comprising a clamping device secured to said inner panel adjacent said fold line and adapted to engage said supply of check blanks along one edge only thereof which lies parallel with and adjacent to said fold line, the printed surfaces of all of said check blanks facing away from said inner panel whereby when said book is opened the printed surfaces of the check blanks within said supply may be exposed successively to receive markings thereon the check blanks within said supply each being movable when said book is opened by swinging said check blank over the edge thereof engaged by said clamping device, a supply of superimposed record blanks including pressure-responsive duplicating means, each of the record blanks within said supply having formed along one edge thereof a plurality of openings by which said record blanks are attached to said binder rings, the record blanks of said supply each being movable when said book is opened by swinging said record blank about the axis established by said binder rings whereby when said book is opened and the uppermost check blank is swung about said edge of said supply of check blanks engaged by said clamping means to expose the next underlying check blank at least one of said record blanks may be swung about the axis established by said binder riNgs to fall upon said next underlying check blank in a predetermined position such that when said uppermost check blank is returned to superimposed relationship said record blank will lie in accurate registry with and beneath said uppermost check blank to receive in duplicate the markings formed on said uppermost check blank incident to making said uppermost check blank into a negotiable instrument.
 3. A combined check and record-keeping book in accordance with claim 1 in which there is provided, upon a surface of said book which is visible when said book is open and when said record blank is positioned to receive in duplicate the markings formed on said uppermost check blank, means for visually indicating a line of demarcation between the dollars and cents markings to be numerically formed upon said uppermost check blank.
 4. A combined check and record-keeping book in accordance with claim 3 in which said means for visually indicating said line of demarcation comprises a printed line an imaginary continuation of which extends through an area of said uppermost check blank in which dollars and cents markings are to be numerically formed.
 5. A combined check and record-keeping book in accordance with claim 3 in which said means for visually indicating said line of demarcation comprises a tab formed integrally with said inner panel of said book and extending beyond the area of said inner panel upon which said supply of check blanks lie, and a printed line formed on said tab an imaginary continuation of which line extends through an area of said uppermost check blank in which dollars and cents markings are to be numerically formed.
 6. In a pocket-size combined check and record-keeping book having a generally planar front cover panel, a generally planar rear cover panel and an end panel, said front and rear cover panels being swingable relative to one another and to said end panel about at least one axis established by said end panel for movement of said front and rear cover panels to open and close said book, the combination of: a first inner panel made of relatively stiff sheet material and secured within said book between said front and rear cover panels for movement with said rear cover panel relative to said front cover panel as said book is opened and closed, means for securing a supply of superimposed check blanks to said first inner panel with said supply of check blanks lying in a definite position on said first inner panel, said securing means engaging said supply of check blanks along one edge only thereof with the printed surfaces of all of said check blanks facing away from said first inner panel whereby when said book is opened the printed surfaces of the check blanks within said supply may be exposed successively to receive markings thereon, the check blanks within said supply each having an edge positioned adjacent said end panel and each being movable when said book is open by swinging said check blank over the edge thereof engaged by said securing means, a spacer panel hinged to said front cover panel along a hinge line parallel with said axis established by said end panel, a second inner panel hinged to said spacer panel along a hinge line parallel with said axis established by said end panel, said second inner panel thus being secured within said book between said front and rear cover panels for movement with said front cover panel relative to said rear cover panel as said book is opened and closed, and for movement with said spacer panel in a plane parallel with and relative to said front cover panel when said spacer panel is moved about the hinge line by which it is hinged to said front cover panel, a supply of superimposed record blanks including pressure-responsive duplicating means, means for attaching said supply of record blanks to said second inner panel by engagement only along an edge of said record blank supply which is adjacent said end panel and is parallel with said axis established by said end Panel, the record blanks of said supply each being movable when said book is open by swinging said record blank over the edge of said supply which is engaged by said attaching means, the movement of said spacer panel in one direction about said hinge line by which said spacer panel is hinged to said front panel being effective, when said book is open, to advance the edge of said supply of record blanks which is attached to said second inner panel across said end panel and into close proximity with the edges of said check blanks which are adjacent said end panel, whereby record blanks which are swung over said edge of said supply of record blanks which is engaged by said attaching means will fall automatically into registry with a check blank in said supply of check blanks, and the movement of said spacer panel in an opposite direction about said hinge line by which said spacer panel is hinged to said front cover panel being effective to retract the edge of said supply of record blanks which is attached to said second inner panel across said end panel, whereby said book may be closed to flat condition with said spacer panel providing room within said closed book for full supplies of both said check blanks and said record blanks.
 7. A pocket-size check and record-keeping book in accordance with claim 6 in which each of said record blanks has substantially the same dimensions as each of said check blanks.
 8. A pocket-size check and record-keeping book in accordance with claim 6 in which said spacer panel has formed on the surface thereof which is exposed to view when said supply of record blanks is advanced into close proximity with said edges of said check blanks a visible line an imaginary continuation of which serves as a line of demarcation between dollars and cents when the user of the book fills in the value of a check in numerical form. 